I prefer the crossbar, and my truck has a frame. On a light car, I would really want it as it provides lateral strength to the tow bar setup. Since the car you are looking at doesn’t have a frame, I would strongly consider the “monstrosity”. Once removed, base plate won’t look any different than any other manufacturer.
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2015 Tiffin Phaeton 40QBH
2018 Chevrolet Colorado Toad
Roadmaster Tow Setup
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According to Roadmaster's Website you can get a base plate that doesn't use the crossbar if you want it that way. They have photos of the installed bars on their site.
I have had the crossbar on all my toads and prefer it. The tow bar arms apply a lateral force on the base plate connections. The crossbar resists the lateral load at the connections and essentially makes a simple truss. Other systems transfer this lateral force farther back and cause a bending moment in the connections. The triangle formed by the crossbar and the tow bar arms is a very stable and rigid element. The looks of the crossbar don't bother me. To an engineer who always walks through buildings looking up, it looks a bit more reliable.
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Zeb and Teena
2005 Mandalay, 2013 Ford Edge
It appears as if the Ready Brute Elite towbar uses the same toad-end attachments as Blue Ox does. These solutions should adapt a Roadmaster crossbar-required baseplate to the Ready Brute Elite towbar:
1) Blue Ox 88178 towbar adapter (the one you list above)
2) Roadmaster 032 towbar adapter (link here). Note: Per Roadmaster, this adapter does not fit MX, MS or EZ5 brackets.
3) Roadmaster towbar adapter 910021-00 (link here) and NSA replacement clevises (link here). You'll need to figure out if the 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch clevises are needed.
Please confirm this info for yourself. I have an all-Roadmaster setup, and haven't had to deal with adapters.
A call to Roadmaster, asking for their recommendations, might help clarify things.
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Mark 2008 Holiday Rambler Admiral 30PDD (Ford F-53 chassis) 2009 Honda Fit Sport
If you are interested and it will fit, I have a Roadmaster tow bar assembly for sale.
My original price was $300. I will sell for $250. It is very heavy to ship. Look at my ad in classifieds section.
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2015 Flagstaff Super V Trailer
Model 26VFKS
Towing with F150 Crew cab 5.0L
This is gonna cost twice as much as the Demco base plate on my CRV.
No... the crossbar system comes with the base plates if you prefer that system. The crossbar is not sold separately. Purchased mine back in November 2019.
That's not what I read last week.
The crossbar does not come with the base plate, only those big flat front mounts that plug into the base plate.
See post #1.
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2004 Fleetwood Southwind 32VS W20
ReadyBrute Elite towing a 2017 Ford Edge Sport
That's not what I read last week.
The crossbar does not come with the base plate, only those big flat front mounts that plug into the base plate.
See post #1.
I have purchased three RoadMaster base plates and two RoadMaster tow bars ... no external up front cross bar thingies with the base plate, they came with the tow bar.
__________________ Warren and Debbie, Deep in The Heart of Texas
2018 Winnebago View 24D 2014 Tiffin Breeze 32BR, 2012 Winnebago Navion 24G, 2006 Winnebago View 23H
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USN Retired, Life time member of the DAV.
Enjoying the 2008 Damon Tuscany 4056, #3998 no your eyes are fine, there are really 6 slides
2022 F150 King Ranch or 2012 Edge toads
Just pulled the trigger on a slightly used 2017 Edge Sport.
I will be calling Roadmaster, NSA, and Blue Ox just to clarify things. And I will watch the youtube videos on installation again to help decide.
Leaning towards the Roadmaster.
In reading at all those links, it kinda chaps my butt that ReadyBrute is never mentioned. I love my towbar and yet all you see is Blue Ox or Roadmaster adapters the opposite or Demco.
I guess ReadyBrute is the Rodney Dangerfield of towbars.
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2004 Fleetwood Southwind 32VS W20
ReadyBrute Elite towing a 2017 Ford Edge Sport
Just seems kinda clunky. Why didn't they just use pins in the holes that hook directly to the towbar like other base plates do?
With the Blue Ox system, that cross bar system is built into the baseplate, permanently attached to the toad and hidden behind the fascia of the car, advantage one less part to install or remove when towing, disadvantage a little extra weight, maybe 10lbs, on the front end of the car when not towing.
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